"Harry!"

He tried to hold her arms down, but it was too dark, and he didn't want to hurt her.

"Harry!"

"Annalise, wake up!" Neville grabbed one of her wrists and pinned it to the bed. Her eyes snapped open, fear and grief the dominant emotions.

"Neville? Where am I? Where is Harry?"

"Harry isn't here, he left," He said.

She bit back a sob and closed her eyes. The agony on her brother's face flashed through her mind.

Neville hated seeing her in so much pain. He couldn't even begin to fathom how she felt, but he could sympathize. She had never been away from Harry, save for the years that she hadn't know him. They had truly become brother and sister in the past seven years. Harry had even convinced his aunt and uncle to take Annalise in.

Neville hesitantly lay beside her and pulled her to him. She buried her head against his chest, her whole body shaking with the grief she was trying to keep silent. Neville smoothed her hair back away from her face, and they laid together like for what seemed like hours.

Annalise sniffed and looked up at him with wet, red eyes. She tried to smile at him, but it didn't quite look right. He laughed and she hiccupped. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay," Neville nodded.

"Is it late?" She asked.

He shook his head. "No, actually. It's about an hour before breakfast."

Annalise sat up on her knees and looked around. "Is there a bathroom in here, or do I have to leave here to get ready?"

"No, we have everything we need here. The girls' washroom is near the back, and to the right."

"Thanks," She kissed his cheek and quickly walked off towards the bathroom. Neville watched her leave, anxiety ringing through him. There was a feeling of dread he just couldn't shake.

"Today is the official start of the new semester," Alecto Carrow walked down the aisle of desks. The students sat straight in their seats, looking ahead. They knew that punishment would come if they didn't. "So I thought it would be a treat if I were to start off the semester with a project."

Hesitantly, a Gryffindor raised her hand. "Sir, if I may, what kind of project?"

"I was getting to that!" He snapped furiously. The Gryffindor flinched and nodded meekly. "I will assign partners and the dragon you will be studying."

"Dragon?" Annalise blurted. Alecto Carrow grinned wickedly, pleased by her reaction.

"Yes, Miss Potter, dragons."

Annalise sat back in her seat, not truly registering what he had just said.

"I will be assign your partners now, but before I do, a few rules. You must be with your partner at all times. This means breakfast, lunch, and dinner. And even at night, when everyone must be going to bed. You will be paired according to gender, not House, so that this will not be a problem."

He gave the class a stern look before he continued. "And you will write a report about everything you have researched on your dragon. Then after the reports have been turned in, we will be able to view our dragons in person and you will write an individual report about your experience. Am I making myself clear?"

"Yes, sir," The class said in unison.

"Good, now," he smiled to himself. "Pansy Parkinson and Parvati Patil."

Pansy glared at the Gryffindor, a vicious gleam in her eyes. She was definitely not please about not being able to be paired with Draco. "You two will be studying the Swedish Short-Snout."

"Theodore Nott and Blaise Zabini, you both will study the Hebridean Black."

"Millicent Bulstrode and Lavender Brown, the Common Welsh Green."

"Luna Lovegood and Cho Chang, the Peruvian Vipertooth."

"Gregory Goyle and Vincent Crabbe, the Chinese Fireball. This dragon has another less common name, which you must include in your report."

"Dean Thomas and Neville Longbottom, you two get the Norwegian Ridgeback."

"And last but not least, Draco Malfoy and Annalise Potter. You two get the Hungarian Horntail."

"But professor! They aren't the same gender, how is that fair to the rest of us?" Pansy shouted, horrified and furious.

Alecto Carrow glared at the Slytherin. "You will not use that tone with me, Miss Parkinson. What I say goes, and it's none of your business why I paired the two. Speak in my class like that again, and you will suffer the consequences."

"Now, if any of you have any questions, do not hesitate to ask. Class dismissed."

Annalise stood and walked over to Draco. He looked up at her, his expression mildly shocked. He had only slightly expected her to react this way. He knew her to be the more level-headed Potter.

"You knew we would be partners," She snapped.

"No, I didn't actually," Draco stood and gathered his things. "But if you would rather yell at me the entire time, feel free."

She blinked. "What?"

He smirked, happy to catch her off guard. "Yeah, I mean, it will just make me feel better about the rest of my day."

Annalise shook her head in disgust. "Whatever, Malfoy." She paused. "So how do you want to do this?"

"Library. We can do that every night after dinner."

"I'm sorry?"

Draco sighed and rolled his eyes. He grabbed Annalise's arm and dragged her over to the professors desk. Carrow looked up from his papers and folded his hands under her chin. "What can I do for you two?"

"Can you please explain to Potter how this whole partner thing is going to work. She doesn't seem to get it."

Carrow smirked. "Ah, I see. Miss Potter, it was a true inconvinience that I had to pair you to Mr. Malfoy, but it had to be done. I did not have enough children of the same gender to pair, and being my two most responsible students, I trust that this partnership will not be a problem."

"You trust this git? To be in the same vicinity as a female?" Annalise questioned, awestruck. "Are you kidding me?"

"Like I said, you two are my most responsible students. Now as far as housing goes, you will be in a spare Head Boy and Girl dorm. Two rooms, a washroom and even a sitting area and a kitchen. That should be plenty."

"But-"

"I have faith in the two of you. Good luck." Alecto gestured for them to leave, and Annalise stomped out ahead of Draco. She rounded on him and accusingly stabbed his chest with her index finger.

"Don't get any ideas, Malfoy. No tricks, no nothing, because when sharing a dorm with scum like you, I have no problem hexing you." She hissed.

Draco held up his hands in surrender, a smirk plastered to his face. "Hey, I wouldn't dream of going anywheres near you. Believe me."

He turned on his heel and waved over his shoulder. "Might as well go pack, Potter. It's going to be a long semester."